LENTEN COLLECTIONS TO HELP UNBORN CHILDREN “Protection of Life and to Ensure Children’s Right to Life”

[ Fr.Sunil De Silva - 23.03.2012 ]

This Sunday, 5th Sunday of the Lent, is the LENTEN COLLECTION DAY in the Archdiocese of Colombo.

This year Lenten Collections in the Archdiocese will be for the “Protection of Life and to Ensure Children’s Right to Life” Since the number of abortions are on the increase all over the country, main purpose of this collection, will be to help in every way possible the mothers to protect their unborn children and give birth to them. His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith appeals to the faithful to contribute generously for this fund.

His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith addressing the Presbyterium of the Archdiocese on 19th March 2012 said, " You would have noticed that of late some people in the Government have been making noises on a possible amendment to the country’s existing abortion laws which would allow free abortions in the case of rape and of babies known to be disabled or deformed in their fetal stages of infancy. The Catholic Bishops Conference has condemned this move and has come under attack in the media especially in the Raavaya newspaper. As we all know abortion is always a crime – it is murder and murder of a voiceless, defenseless human person even if that person is still in the fetal stage or appears deformed. I have spoken out against this in my Christmas midnight Mass sermon beamed islandwide by Rupavahini. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is categorical on this. It states that “human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person – among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life…..Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means is gravely contrary to the moral law…..life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes” [CCC 2270-72]. The Catholic Bishops Conference will shortly come out in the open against any relaxation of the laws in Sri Lanka. When contacted the President did inform me that he will not allow any relaxation of the rules on this matter. But instigated and pushed by the United Nations Population Programme and other international agencies, some local women’s groups are agitating for this on the pretext of the enhancement of women’s rights. Western Nations in their greed to continue to possess over 75% of the world’s resources are telling us that there is not enough food to feed everyone – so we need to bring down our birth rates. Ironically they themselves are suffering the effects of their own folly with lower birth rates and higher death rates in their societies and a worrying influx of foreigners to fill in the blanks. Pope John Paul II called this mentality, “the culture of death”. As Catholics we cannot accept such a position and so I call upon all of you to preach against this to your flock. Doctrinal teaching on this subject is found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church – No. 2270-2274 and the Encyclical letter of Pope John Paul II “Evangelium Vitae”."

THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS' CONFERENCE IN SRI LANKA on the Government attempt to legalize abortion

The Catholic Bishops Conference in Sri Lanka has reacted to the Government’s recent decision to legalise abortions in special cases.

The Catholic Bishops Conference in Sri Lanka has categorically stated that it disagrees with this decision and is opposed to legalising abortion in any form as it amounts to murder.

In a communique the Catholic Bishops Conference in Sri Lanka notes that the Church has always held that God is the author of life and that it is God’s supreme and most sacred gift to all and thereby, it is obligatory to protect it.

On Tuesday it was reported that the Government has decided to introduce legislation, legalising abortions for underaged girls who conceive after rape.

Minister of Child Development and Women’s Affairs, Tissa Karaliadda recently stated that in addition, new laws will also be formulated to legalise abortions in situations where the woman conceives as a result of incest.

Minister Karaliadda went on to say that the draft legislation in this regard is being compiled in consultation with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Justice.

Minister Tissa Karaliadda pointed out that underaged girls conceiving, owing to various forms of rape, has become a serious social issue.